scholarly journals Aspects of Reversibility and Energy Efficiency of Prefabricated Straw Structures – Guidelines for Sustainable Design of Architectural Interventions of 21st Century

2021 ◽  
Vol 1203 (2) ◽  
pp. 022085
Author(s):  
Amina Mihmić ◽  
Amira Salihbegović
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Inorganic Materials ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Inert Material ◽  
Economy Model ◽  
Local Climate

Abstract Architectural space of the 21st century confirms, for the umpteenth time that, architecture is a personified image of society: The products of architectural interventions are the final creations in time and space. The whims of the market, the linear economy model, and users' pluralistic needs generated by cultural preferences mutually develop "white elephants" - inert material, useless and expensive to deconstruct. In response to social, environmental, climate, and economic changes, the construction sector needs to revalue existing construction techniques. The lack of broader application of the circular economy model, the use of inorganic materials and chemical bonds in architectural structures, due to the loss of cultural significance or the appearance of natural disasters, are deprived of their function and produce a large amount of waste. Therefore, the reuse of organic materials derived from renewable energy sources is becoming essential for pushing further the boundaries of reversible design and energy efficiency in architectural interventions. Limits of use of the old – new materials - compressed straw are defined by comparing the results of thermal properties of the building envelope elements - U and R values and levels of reversibility through two opposite approaches to construction, on the example of the conceptual design of a housing unit affected by natural disasters. Analysing the three levels of reversibility that 21st century buildings should possess, given the existing research, the material level limit is shifted in terms of returning to nature with potentially zero environmental waste. Comparing the results of the R values of prefabricated straw structures with the R values of materials predominantly used in architectural interventions raises awareness of the importance and benefits of using compressed straw in architectural envelopes. Existing design parameters of straw structures are optimized by valorising the importance of local climate and materials used. The interaction of native - cellulosic materials breaks down dogmas related to this material and generates the architectural language of reversible and energy-efficient architectural straw products.

scholarly journals Refurbishment of a house in a historical building: energy saving, electrification and flexibility

2020 ◽  
Vol 197 ◽  
pp. 02010
Author(s):  
Giada Romano ◽  
Elisa Pennacchia ◽  
Sofia Agostinelli
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Automation Systems ◽  
Architectural Constraints ◽  
Current Energy

Buildings with architectural constraints and recognized historical values require a careful design process, aiming to combine the needs of conservation and the adaptation of the buildings to the modern use and its accessibility. The feasible interventions consist in improving the energy performance of the building envelope, in inserting efficient technological systems and using renewable energy sources where possible. The compatibility between the architectural constraints of the building and its more sustainable future use represents a crucial challenge. This work presents the interventions designed and realized on a small villa located in the Prati district, in Rome. Starting from the requests of the client, the primary objective was to create a comfortable house both in the winter and in the summer season, with widespread use of automation systems for managing the utilities. In line with the current energy scenario, the interventions were oriented to energy efficiency, the reduction of polluting emissions, the electrification of utilities and the use of renewable energy sources. The proposed solutions showed high gains in terms of energy saving even if the changes to the building envelope were limited by the desire to preserve the values of the cultural heritage. Therefore, a virtuous refurbishment can effectively respond to current energy efficiency goals.

Development of an Integrated Performance Design Platform for Residential Buildings Based on Climate Adaptability

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8223
Author(s):  
Zhixing Li ◽  
Mimi Tian ◽  
Yafei Zhao ◽  
Zhao Zhang ◽  
Yuxi Ying
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Building Energy Efficiency ◽  
The World ◽  
Integrated Performance

Building energy waste has become one of the major challenges confronting the world today, so specifications and targets for building energy efficiency have been put forward in countries around the world in recent years. The schematic design stage matters a lot for building energy efficiency, while most architects nowadays are less likely to make energy efficiency design decisions in this stage due to the lack of necessary means and methods for analysis. An integrated multi-objective multivariate framework for optimization analysis is proposed for the schematic design stage in the paper. Here, the design parameters of the building morphology and the design parameters of the building envelope are integrated for analysis, and an integrated performance prediction model is established for low-rise and medium-rise residential buildings. Then, a comparison of the performance indicators of low-rise and medium-rise residential buildings under five typical urban climatic conditions is carried out, and the change patterns of the lighting environment, thermal environment, building energy demand, and life cycle cost of residential buildings in each city under different morphological parameters and design parameters of the building envelope are summarized. Specific analysis methods and practical tools are provided in the study for architectural design to ensure thermal comfort, lighting comfort, low energy consumption, and low life-cycle cost requirement, and this design method can inspire and guide the climate adaptation analysis and design process of low-rise and medium-rise residential buildings in China, improve architects’ perception of energy-saving design principles of low-rise and medium-rise residential buildings on the ontological level, as well as provide them with a method to follow and a case to follow in the actual design process.

scholarly journals Using Residential and Office Building Archetypes for Energy Efficiency Building Solutions in an Urban Scale: A China Case Study

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Ding ◽  
Nan Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Stochastic Simulations ◽  
Office Building ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Building Energy Consumption

Building energy consumption accounts for 36% of the overall energy end use worldwide and is growing rapidly as developing countries continue to urbanize. Understanding the energy use at urban scale will lay the foundation for identification of energy efficiency opportunities to be deployed at speed. China has almost half of global new constructions and plays an important role in building suitability. However, an open source national building energy consumption database is not available in China. To provide data support for building energy consumptions, this paper used a simulation method to develop an urban building energy consumption database for a pilot city in Wuhan, China. First, residential, small, and large office building archetype energy models were created in EnergyPlus to represent typical building energy consumption in Wuhan. The baseline reference model simulation results were further validated using survey data from the literature. Second, stochastic simulations were conducted to consider different design parameters and occupants’ energy usage intensity scenarios, such as thermal properties of the building envelope, lighting power density, equipment power density, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) schedule, etc. A building energy consumption database was generated for typical building archetypes. Third, data-driven regression analysis was conducted to support quick building energy consumption prediction using key high- level building information inputs. Finally, a web-based urban energy platform and an interface were developed to support further third-party application development. The research is expected to provide fast energy efficiency building design solutions for urban planning, new constructions as well as building retrofits.

scholarly journals ENERGY CERTIFICATION AND ENERGY AUDIT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AS A METHODOLOGICAL TOOL TO IMPROVE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF THE UNIVERSITY

Management ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-25
Author(s):  
Liudmyla Hanushchak-Yefimenko
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Smooth Transition ◽  
Certification Program ◽  
Energy Audit ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
University Buildings

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Improving the energy performance of buildings is one of the least expensive ways to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Building energy performance certification increases public knowledge about energy conservation and allows consumers and other decision makers to compare buildings based on their lifetime performance. In addition, energy performance certifications are an incentive for owners to improve the efficiency of existing buildings.METHODS. It is proposed to use in the process of energy certification and energy audit of university buildings collection and evaluation of basic information (including information about local climate, method of use, value of thermal conductivity coefficient and building envelope area, orientation) to determine the level of energy efficiency of the building on a generally accepted scale. In the Certificate of energy efficiency to take into account the calculated results from the assessment of the energy performance of the building.FINDINGS. It is suggested that the results of the energy certification of university buildings be presented in a simple, clear form, to ensure clarity, ease of use and comparability. For the energy certification of university buildings, a comparative labeling from A to G is proposed for use. The scale, on which the current national building standard is at "C," provides ample room for improving the rating of both new and existing buildings. If necessary, the scale should be expanded to add a label such as A1, A2, or A+, A++ when it comes to high-performance buildings.CONCLUSION. Accurate and reliable energy performance certification is a necessary foundation that will help ensure consumer confidence and the success of the certification program. The certification program must be clearly coordinated to ensure a smooth transition of the construction industry to the new rules.

Comprehensive Analysis and Research on the Factors Influencing Energy Efficiency and Consumption of Public Buildings

2013 ◽  
Vol 848 ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Lei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Hvac System ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Natural Lighting ◽  
Coupling Relationship ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Relationship Of

A public building of Jiangsu Province is analyzed by DeST software based on the coupling relationship of building envelope, natural ventilation, lighting and natural lighting, and HVAC system, and the annual heating and cooling loads and power consumption of design building and benchmark building are calculated. After fully taking into account coupling relationship of all factors, a reasonable choice of design parameters, the design of HVAC system is optimized, achieving the goal that total energy consumption of design building is less than 80% of specified value of energy efficiency by national and local standards.

scholarly journals ENERGY BALANCE OF A LOW ENERGY HOUSE

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasa Džiugaitė-Tumėnienė ◽  
Vidmantas Jankauskas ◽  
Violeta Motuzienė
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Consumption Data ◽  
Low Energy Buildings

Currently, such topics as improvement of energy efficiency of buildings and energy systems, development of sustainable building concepts, and promotion of renewable energy sources are in the focus of attention. The energy efficiency targets of the European Union are based on information regarding energy consumed by buildings. The amount of energy consumed by buildings depends on the main influencing factors (namely, climate parameters, building envelope, energy systems, building operation and maintenance, activities and behaviour of occupants), which have to be considered in order to identify energy efficiency potentials and opportunities. The article aims to investigate the total amount of energy consumed by a low energy house, built in Lithuania, using a combination of energy consumption data received from a simulation and measured energy consumption data. The energy performance analysis in the low energy house revealed some factors that have the main influence on the total figures of energy consumed by the house. The identified significant factors were used to find the optimal solutions for the design of low energy buildings.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECONOMIC CONCEPT OF A CLOSED CYCLE

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 4-10
Author(s):  
A. V. SAMOYLOV ◽  
◽  
A. P. DROZDOVA ◽  
S. M. MOLCHANOVA ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Resource Consumption ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
Economy Model ◽  
Existing Problems ◽  
Economic Concept ◽  
Foreign Countries ◽  
Improved Design

The article discusses the basic principles of the implementation of the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy model. The article summarizes the existing problems that require solutions to create new jobs, increase economic growth, and create a balance between the economy, environment and population. The authors present examples of building a circular economy model in foreign countries. The importance of the tasks of implementing and promoting the circular economy was revealed, thanks to the involvement of all participants in the society in this process and the motivation for companies and investors. Effective tools for moving society towards a resource-efficient closed-cycle economy, increasing energy efficiency, energy conservation and reducing the energy intensity of the gross domestic product, due to the entry into a competitive level of renewable energy sources are investigated. The introduction of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in automated accounting of resource consumption, as well as the improvement of accounting rules will create opportunities for the end user to manage resource consumption taking into account the principles of a circular economy. The authors' study emphasizes that circular economy products and services should minimize resource use and promote reuse, recovery and recycling of materials in the future, leveraging existing product policy instruments, further support for the repair sector, improved design for reuse, and high-quality packaging recycling. The authors in the article propose to legislate the subsidizing of enterprises participating in the circular chain and subsidizing innovative developments in the field of the circular economy in the Russian Federation.

scholarly journals Energy Assessment of Sorghum Cultivation in Southern Ukraine

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 695
Author(s):  
Oleg Bazaluk ◽  
Valerii Havrysh ◽  
Mykhailo Fedorchuk ◽  
Vitalii Nitsenko
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Grain Sorghum ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Efficiency Ratio ◽  
Energy Inputs ◽  
Southern Ukraine

Global climate changes and fossil fuel reserve depletion are drivers for the search for environmentally friendly renewable energy sources. In Europe, biomass represents the main alternative to fossil fuels. Among energy crops, sorghum is a promising crop for arid regions. The biomass yield and energy efficiency of sorghum (both silage and grain) were studied based on field experiments conducted in Southern Ukraine. The following climate changes were identified: an increase in temperature and a decrease in precipitation. The total energy inputs for sweet sorghum were estimated at 11.256 GJ/ha. The main contributors to the energy inputs are mineral fertilizers (56.99%). The experiment showed that a yield of 40.6 t/ha could be achieved with annual precipitation of 350 mm. The energy efficiency ratio was determined to be 11.18. The total energy inputs for grain sorghum was 16.081 GJ/ha. Its yield (grain) varied from 1.92 to 7.05 t/ha. The energy efficiency ratio of grain sorghum ranged from 2.8 to 16.7.

scholarly journals Optimal Planning and Operation of a Residential Energy Community under Shared Electricity Incentives

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 2045
Author(s):  
Pierpaolo Garavaso ◽  
Fabio Bignucolo ◽  
Jacopo Vivian ◽  
Giulia Alessio ◽  
Michele De Carli
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Power Distribution ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Technical Equipment ◽  
Optimal Planning

Energy communities (ECs) are becoming increasingly common entities in power distribution networks. To promote local consumption of renewable energy sources, governments are supporting members of ECs with strong incentives on shared electricity. This policy encourages investments in the residential sector for building retrofit interventions and technical equipment renovations. In this paper, a general EC is modeled as an energy hub, which is deemed as a multi-energy system where different energy carriers are converted or stored to meet the building energy needs. Following the standardized matrix modeling approach, this paper introduces a novel methodology that aims at jointly identifying both optimal investments (planning) and optimal management strategies (operation) to supply the EC’s energy demand in the most convenient way under the current economic framework and policies. Optimal planning and operating results of five refurbishment cases for a real multi-family building are found and discussed, both in terms of overall cost and environmental impact. Simulation results verify that investing in building thermal efficiency leads to progressive electrification of end uses. It is demonstrated that the combination of improvements on building envelope thermal performances, photovoltaic (PV) generation, and heat pump results to be the most convenient refurbishment investment, allowing a 28% overall cost reduction compared to the benchmark scenario. Furthermore, incentives on shared electricity prove to stimulate higher renewable energy source (RES) penetration, reaching a significant reduction of emissions due to decreased net energy import.

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